Warning Sign
by tigeracid08
Summary: The family is at it's lowest. Having just lost one of their own at the hands of The Saviors and their deranged leader, Negan. The group is broken, looking to make sense of it all when someone they believed to be lost to them for good walks back into their lives. Set immediately after the Season 6 finale.
1. Chapter 1

**Posting this because it's a possibility that 's been playing in my head for awhile and despite knowing she's never coming back I am still Bethyl shipper and will always imagine scenarios that could possibly bring her back. If not whole, at least with her family. So bear with me here.**

* * *

 **Chapter One**

Blood is everywhere. Splattered across the ground. Pooling at their feet as it slides down whatever crevices it can find. Smeared across their fronts. Staining their shirts, matting in their hair. Negan straightens up, the smile on his face the biggest they yet to see and more blood pouring from his bat, Lucille.

It is all too much. To real for any of them to take in, and Daryl can only kneel there staring at what use to be his friend, a brother even, in this cold dark world. The day they first met and all the days since passing through his mind as nausea wells up in his stomach.

Maggie's sobbing can be heard not far from him and Rick's own sputtered curses falling from his lips as he fights against the restraints. Daryl wants to fight. He does. He just can't find it in him at the moment. The numbness that started out when Dwight took them hostage is slowly spreading to his heart, and he doesn't think he can come back from this. Doesn't see himself ever caring about anyone or anything ever again. Not like he did for Beth, or Glenn ,or even the small bit he held for Denise as she shouted in his face about needing to live their lives. What was the point of living when it would only be ripped from you in the end anyways? What was the fucking point?

Daryl's looks into the gaze of the man standing before him, his smile falling as he aims the bat at him. "Get the message?"

Daryl merely glares at him, his lips turning white from the amount of pressure he is putting on them. Doing his best to remain silent because anything he says now will only cause more damage. And really, haven't they lost enough?

When Negan moves along the group, resting on Rick, Daryl half expects the man to lunge at him. Instead, Negan moves on to Carl, the bat inches from his face, as he looks back at Rick. "Anymore objections?"

Rick stares at the bat, at the man holding the bat and then his son. One of the only things he has left in this world that means a lick to him and he nods. Head hanging in defeat and Daryl feels his own lungs collapse. The thought that Rick was giving in settling into his stomach and he merely looks at the ground. Once again wondering, what was the point?

The pool of blood fills his vision as he vaguely hears Negan say, "Load them up. Drop them off at the nearest town."

 _Great. Another hell hole._

Cause really that's all it is. Another place to exist, to survive. Like surviving meant anything anymore. He stands when a hand reaches out for his arm, snarling at the man that attempts to touch him and yanking himself away. The sound of laughter echoes in his ears and he glances up in time to see their leader say, "got some fighters in this group. Good. We're going to need them." The man chuckles some more as he looks at the lot of them. Amusement spread across his face;. Daryl's so focused on him that he flinches when a camera snaps mere inches from him. One of them taking a photo of Negan's latest kill and anger rises up in his gut again.

How dare they. How dare they think they can get away with dehumanizing his friend. With the last bit of strength he can muster, he lunges at the man. Sneering at him, and getting some satisfaction to see him flinch and take a step back before someone grabs his arm. The sore one. The one with a bullet still inside of it, and yanks him back. Causing a flash of pain to course through his body as it complies with their wishes. What else was he going to do? Scream? Rage? Fight them? Because that worked out so damn well for them.

Another wave of nausea hits him and he forces his vision away from his fallen brother only to land on his brother's wife. Widow. Whatever she is now. The pain in her eyes reflectes that from weeks ago when he carried her sister out of that damn hospital. A sharp reminder that the only thing that pulled her from that depression was the man now lying on the floor. A bloody pulp that wouldn't do any of them any good and judging from her pale complexion and the fact that she's out here to begin with, there is a good chance that she lost the only thing that tied her to the man. Their one and only hope left for a brighter future.

Daryl swallows. Bile now rising up in his throat as he is once again shoved into the back of a van with three other people. Who? He couldn't tell. Didn't really want to see who because it would mean facing them and right now he is just so damn numb. The car lurches forward, making him slam his shoulder to the metal siding and is surprised to find that that don't even hurt. Nothing hurts. It's just an empty expanse of nothing at the moment, but it will come. He is sure. When he is alone, and able to let it wash over him. He will feel it then. All of it. Even the past will come back to haunt him. Taunt him about his failures and he can almost hear his brother's laugh now. That mocking tone that told him Merle was right and him wrong.

 _Not now, Merle. Not yet._

The van jostles them about. Hitting potholes, and taking sharp turns without much thought to the passengers in the back seat until it screeches to a halt sometime later. The drive seeming longer then it should have been as the back doors are spread open and sunlight blinds them. Daryl squints, trying to block as much of it as possible before his eyes adjust and he notices the high wooden fence, with the clock tower just above it.

Hilltop.

 _Of course._

They brought them to the one place they promised to protect. To show them that there is no protection. That they all fall in the end. _How fucking convenient._

Daryl moves forward, looking behind him to see Rick, Michonne, and Maggie crawling out of the van behind him. A second vehicle pulls up behind that one and Rosita, Aaron and Eugene climb out of the vehicle. All of them looking wrecked. Beyond anything that can be rescued and he sees it in the eyes of the people from Hilltop as they open their gates.

Gazes going over each of them in turn before resting on the Saviors that are getting back in their vehicles and driving off. Daryl notes, only after they've left, that there's still people missing. Carl, Sasha and Abraham. The three of them missing like a sore thumb, and Daryl looks to Rick. Noting the same realization coming across his face as their eyes meet. The fear palpable in all their eyes. Cause what else would the Saviors need to hold on to those three for except to hold them hostage. A way to ensure their obedience. Daryl's shoulders slump forward. Resignation seeping through his body once again as he looks towards the gates where Gregory is standing. Arms crossed and face sour while taking in those dropped at his gates.

For a moment, it doesn't look like he's going to let them in. Better to send them on their way and hope for the best. Daryl wouldn't blame him. They came in here with all the bravado of people who faced the odds before and survived. Now they look like beggars looking for their next meal. Praying that the man before them will show some mercy. Even just a little.

"Get inside," he says, motioning for them to head in. They do. Slowly. Barely standing. Daryl is shuffled off to the medical trailer with Maggie in tow. Neither of them speaking. Both of them having lost another brother, lover, friend. It seemed to surreal to even think that they're in the same position as they were when they found Alexandria, only reversed. He glances up at her. To see the dead look in her eyes, and he can't even manage an expression of his own to reassure her before the doctor in the area waves for her to come in first.

He sits on the steps, huddled in the blanket that was given to him when they were first taken. Nothing left to stop him from thinking, or feeling for that matter. Except the people, strangers, walking around him. Watching him. Waiting for the break down that's bound to happen. He won't let it happen though.

 _Not here._

Merle's still standing around, smiling that god awful smile, and asking "what's wrong, Darylina?"

Daryl ignores him, eyes glued to the ground as he hears mumbling from the inside and then the doc appears. A fore lorn look on his face as he looks at him. Daryl looks past him, to Maggie's resigned features as she shakes her head. A small tear escaping, and it's so fucked up that she can't even mourn the loss of her child because she's exhausted from mourning her husband. Two deep cuts in one day and he's sure that there's no coming back from this.

Not this. Definitely not this.

"Let's take a look at that shoulder," the man says, waving for him to come in. Daryl glares at him. Not wanting anyone touching him, and the man sighs. "It's going to get infected."

"Let it," he growls, turning to look away from the trailer. Hoping the wound does get infected and he get's sick and they would just put him out of his misery.

"Daryl," Maggie whispers. That broken tone in her voice making her sound almost like her sister, and Daryl closes his eyes. Letting out a deep shaking breath as he stands and turns to head inside. Not bothering to look at Maggie, cause while she's the polar opposite of her sister, he still sees little things that pair the two together. Like they have the same wide eyes, same shaped nose. Same determination in their stares, no matter the situation, and Daryl doesn't know if he can take comparing the two at the moment.

 _Not now._

The man makes quick work of his shoulder. Pulling the bullet out, and sewing it up in a matter of minutes. Daryl has to give the man some credit for his ease. When he hands a couple of white pills out for Daryl, he stares at them. Unsure if he wants to take them. Maybe if he sits here long enough without them the pain would seep in again and he can feel something besides this hollowness building up inside of him.

"They'll help you rest," the man says, ducking so that he can look Daryl in the eye. He meets the man's gaze. Notices the hint of concern in his eyes and decides the man is good enough. Enough to be trusted anyways as he grabs the pills and swallows them whole. Not bothering with anything to drink as he leans back in the seat. His head already rolling to the side as he forces his body to relax. Praying that the pills will be enough to knock him out completely. Keep him from seeing the images that are on replay in his mind. The sounds that make up a broken record in his ears sure aren't being drowned out by anything. He can still make out the sound of a bat meeting flesh. The slight groan and then the collapse as the sound of flesh ripping rings in his ears. It's not a sound he's ever going to get used to hearing. No matter how many times he sees it happening.

The blackness does eventually swallow him up. Sinking him into a sea of nothing and surprisingly it's not the events of the night that tear through his mind. It's her voice and her eyes peeking out through the darkness, saying, "wouldn't hurt you to have a little faith" and "you've got to stay who you are, not who you were" and all the beats in between the smiles and touches. All of them floating back to him for the hundredth time before tires squeal in the distance and a gunshot rings out in his dream and Daryl jumps up.

Confusion swimming through the blurred vision as the door swings open and Rick steps into the small camper. Moving toward Maggie first, whispering something to her before glancing over at Daryl with something akin to hesitancy. Like he almost fears saying something to him even though they haven't held anything back from each other before.

"What's up?" he asks, unsure if he wants to know. If Rick looks scared to tell him that means his reaction won't be all that great.

Rick gives him another long look, rubbing at the back of his neck before looking out the door and then back at Daryl. Maggie's sitting up now, her mouth gaping open as whatever it is that their staring at steps into the room. It's a small woman with blonde hair that's shaved on the sides, with longer strands pushed back. Covering what looks to be a still pink scar where the hair is shaved. Daryl blinks. Unable to believe the possibilities. The odds that another small blonde would have the same wounds as the one they left in Atlanta, and as she turns- more scars showing in stark contrast to her pale skin just below the wide blue eyes -Daryl knows the possibilities are not that endless.

It's her, standing before them. A slight, sad smile on her face as she meets Daryl's gaze and then Maggie's and says, "I'm sorry for your losses." her eyes travel down Maggie' stomach and then back to Daryl. "For both of you."

Her voice is calm. Even. Something that it shouldn't be upon finding your sister and family. She should be in hysteric's. From disbelief, grief or both, but she shouldn't be standing there calm. Like she's talking to a couple of strangers.

Daryl blinks again. The vision still before him and he moves to stand. A barely whispered, "Beth?" coming out as she looks at him. Head raising up in a defensive motion before coming back down and saying. "Melody. The name is Melody, and I'm here cause we have the your family and I'm more then willing to take you to them."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Daryl follows the girl outside of the camper, Rick and him hot on her heels wanting more of an explanation when their pulled back by the other three rushing forward. Faces furrowed together trying to understand what they are seeing. Knowing the last time they saw this girl she was in Daryl's arms. Dead.

 _He swears she was dead._

Daryl looks back at Maggie to see that her eyes are bouncing from Beth to him and finally landing on his, both sharing the same confused gaze. There's isn't an explanation. Not a viable one that he can give her at the moment, and holds his hand out to indicate she needs to continue resting. She nods, her gaze going to the back of Beth – Melody- and leans back. Unable to sleep and Daryl can't blame her.

"You wanna tell me what's going on here?" Rick asks, finally catching up to the small blonde. Eyeing her like she's a demon come to take what was left of his life.

Maybe she is. Maybe that's the explanation. Some demon's taken an angel's form to make them trust them easier.

Melody smiles, nodding as she looks at Rick from the corner of her eye. "I've already told you," she says, linking her hands behind her back. Head held high. "We've managed to recover the rest of your family and if you want them back we will take you to them."

It's a repeat. A cop-out for what Rick is really asking and he let's her know it. Grabs her arm and swings her around. Giving Daryl and him a good look at those wide blue eyes and simpering smile.

"Beth," he says, the word so low that it's nearly a threat. Anyone that knows Rick recognizes the tone. Including the girl before them as her eyes narrow and lips tighten together. The sweet smile that was there moment's ago is gone and there's a sharpness in her gaze that wasn't there before. Her own thinly veiled threat that is underlined with her words as she say, "If you want to see your son get in the jeep. Otherwise stay here. The choice is yours."

She turns then, moving so fast Daryl's fingers barely skim her shoulder before she's by the gate, speaking with a short, browned haired man dressed in a white suite and wearing fucking body armor.

Daryl glances at Rick, noticing the hard stare the man's giving her and nudges his arm. "Whatcha think?"

Rick looks at him. Biting his lower lip as he looks to the ground."Think I want my son back, but we gotta be careful."

Daryl nods as Rick looks around the place. Rosita and Eugene stand behind them. Both quiet as Rick looks at them and then back to the camper where Maggie is still seating; weak and exhausted from her ordeal.

"Rosita, you and the rest stay here. Daryl and I will head out with her." He indicates Beth and Rosita follows his line of sight. Still looking confused, but less so as she nods.

"What if she's lying and takes you straight to the saviors again?"

"What would be the point?" Daryl asks, shaking his head at the notion. It's possible the Negan character isn't quite done playing with them. Might even have a few more surprises up his sleeve, but Daryl doubts it. He's gotten his message off clear as day the night before, anything now would be overkill. The thought brings the image of his fallen friend to the fore-front of his mind and he shakes it off. Already heading toward the gate where the damn girl is still talking to her friend. Her voice going lower as he draws nearer, and finally silencing all together when he stands in front of her.

Staring her down until Rick appears next to him and mutters, "alright, your ball."

Her gaze flashes from one man to the next. Taking in their own hard stares and she nods. "Alright then."

She motions for the jeep by the gate, and the four them head over. Melody and Steven jumping into the front as Rick and Daryl climb in the back. Daryl half wondering how they managed to both get bitch seats as the gate opens up and Steven pulls out. Tires kicking up dirt as they speed off, and it's obvious the man doesn't like to waste time. The wind blows through their hair, whipping Daryl's across his face as he attempts to see it through it. They fly over rocks and dirt. Hitting every pothole on the dirt road, and Daryl Winces when they fly over a particularly large bump. Jarring his injured shoulder and making him wish he'd taken a few more pain pills before he left. Judging by the setting sun, it'd been hours since that doc pushed those white pills down his throat and he's feeling it now as they speed down the dirt path. Melody takes a look back, her gaze sliding over him and resting on his scrunched face for a second before leaning over to the driver. "Slow down, Steven, there's no need to be a dirt devil."

The boy looks at her, a wicked grin across his face before he eases off of the accelerator and looks back at the road ."Just trying to keep it interesting."

"Days been interestin enough," Rick pipes up, barely looking at the two in front of him. Either he's resigned himself to believe the woman before them isn't Beth or she doesn't remember. Either way, he doesn't sound that interested to find out more about her. Though, Daryl suspects that has to do with his son's life in someone elses hands as well.

"So I've heard," Melody says, turning so that she can fully face them. Her smile lessens a bit. Turning a bit sad as her gaze goes distant and then returns to rest her blues on him. Daryl meets her stare, curious now what she knows about them. What they don't know about her. It'd been nearly a year since they left Atlanta, and time has changed her. Not just with a shorter hair cut and a few scars. Something inside has changed. It's clear in the way she holds herself. In the way she swallows and says, "I'm sorry about Glenn. About what happened. We didn't hear about Negan's attack until it was already in full swing, and by then we could only manage damage control." Her gaze goes to Rick's hard stare and adds, "some, anyways."

Rick shakes his head, eyes going back to the scenery as it passes by them. To angry to talk, and Daryl can't blame him. He's still fuming about their encounter. Pissed that Dwight got the jump on him when he'd been the one out searching for him. Still, he didn't miss the way her voice caught on Glenn's name. Or that she even knew it was Glenn that died. That she even cared.

"How'd you hear?" he asks, catching her attention. Her eyes dart to his, and there's recognition there. Subtle and unsure, but there, and he draws on that. Hopes that maybe this isn't some off the wall dream after all.

Slowly, her gaze lowers, head shaking as she looks to Steven like he holds the answers. That pisses Daryl off. Doesn't know why. Can't understand why she'd need to look at him for the answers until Melody looks back at him and says, "you won't like it."

Rick settles into the seat, one arm coming up to hang out the window while the other rests on the seat behind him. "Not much to like now and days."

Daryl glances at him and then her. Not sure he wants to hear this story but curious all the same as he waits her out. Watches as her eyes dart back and forth, to the fucking driver up front, to finally rest on him. Resignation filling them up before she nods, and looks to Rick. "When you made the pact with Hilltop, Jesus came and told us about the group that promised to take Negan out. That you promised to be rid of him. I thought it was another group of idiots looking for a fight, and then he said your names, how you met and..." She stops there, swallowing as she looks back at Steven.

"And," Daryl pushes, hands clenching together as he watches the uncertainty.

"And I had to come see for myself. I had to know that you were alive, and well. And you were. My god you all looks happy. Content even." The smile on her face contradicts the sadness in her eyes, and the tears that follow as she looks to her hands. Unable to meet their gazes again while wiping away the tears.

"You came to Alexandria?" Rick asks, sitting forward for the first time. Looking to Daryl when she nods. "You watched us? Followed us?"

Again she nods, and the smile disappears from her face again as the tears continue to stream down her cheeks. Daryl wants to lean forward, wipe away those tears and hold her close. Telling her it's okay. That he understood. He doesn't though. Doesn't see how she could watch them from afar and not say a word to them. Not say anything to her sister. To him. To anyone from Georgia that would have been thrilled to see her. Even if it meant being sucker punched by a ghost. It would have been better then this.

Seeing the incrimination in their stares, Melody sucks in a breath. Her gaze once again going to her hands as she rubs them together. "I have my reasons. Many of them not really reasons like, you've already moved on. You've said good-byes to me and I didn't want to disturb that. I didn't want to reopen those wounds again. It wouldn't be fair when you were just settling down. Finding something better."

"Not all of us," Daryl mumbles, catching her eye for just a moment before he looks out the window. Not wanting to see the apology there, and not wanting to explain further either.

"Most of you," Melody corrects, continuing to stare at Daryl. "Other reason would be it was too dangerous. You'd taken on Negan and I couldn't risk my new home, or the family I created there."

"Cause they're more important?" Daryl snaps, head whirling to glare at her. His gaze briefly going to Steven in the front seat as the man reaches to squeeze her knee. A reassuring gesture that isn't shoved away by the girl before them as she returns it with a smile.

"No," she says, looking back at them. "Negan could have used you against me, or vise-versa. Show him even one hint of weakness and he digs his claws in so deep, there will be no getting out of it without someone dying. You've seen that first hand."

Daryl grunts, his eyes shooting out to the woods again as he thinks about Glenn. The image still playing on a loop in his mind as he closes his eyes. Hoping to drown it out.

"As it is, Negan don't know where our home is. It's a literal safe haven and I plan to keep it that way, no matter the costs." She looks from Rick to Daryl. The big blues that were welling with tears moments ago, looking beyond serious at this point and Daryl shakes his head. Unable to believe he thought the girl in front of him was Beth. Beth wouldn't hold out on her family. She wouldn't hide from them, and say it's under the guise of keeping them safe. Not after the hell she put him through to find them.

"Even if it meant never seeing Maggie again?" he asks. She meets his heavy stare with one of her own as she raises her head up. Chin jutting out in defiance.

"Maggie knows I'm alive now. Even if she believes I don't remember her, that 's enough."

"Enough to her kill that much more," he mutters, eyes narrowing cause he knows she heard him. Knows the tightening of her lips is enough to hold back a retort as she shakes her head.

"Enough to hope." Their gazes lock together, and he's the first to look away. Wanting to sneer at her as the weight of her gaze rests on him. Holds him still until a bleeping noise at the front of the jeep interrupts their conversation, and forces her attention elsewhere as a man on the radio says, "Songbird, Loverboy, you read me?"

Melody shifts forward to grab the radio, glancing at Daryl as he grunts a the names, and pushes the button to reply. "Loud and clear, Grandfather."

"Hey, sweetheart, was startin to worry about you. What's your locale?"

"Retrieved the Trojans, and heading toward the den."

"All well?" The old man asks, and Melody glances back, noting their sour faces before she pushes the buttons and says, "well enough. Get back to ya later."

Hanging up the receiver a quiet descends over the four. Melody's avoiding their gazes, and Daryl's doing his best to keep his eyes off of her. Trying not to let the anger leak through and hold off on the questions. Cause he has so many for her. Wants to know how she could live with herself? How she could stay away from them for so long knowing how much her death would have hurt them. Hurt him. There wasn't a day that went by that he didn't think about her. About all his failing when it came to her, and yet here she sat. Alive and well, and admitting that she never intended to come back into their lives.

Miles pass in silence. Enough words having past between them until Steven turns onto a dirt path covered in foliage, something only noticeable when you are looking for it and suddenly the ride becomes bumpy again. The jeep jarring left and right as their tossed about and this only earns him a quick glance from the girl up front. Her gaze going from his face to the rip in his shirt that shows his wound and he stiffens. Grips the handle bar a little tighter to show it don't phase him cause he don't want her pity. Don't want her thinking she has to care for him when she didn't show any concern for them before.

When she turns back around, he follows her gaze to a gray metal door set in a small concrete building. A solar panel is hitched up top and the words "Dead Inside" sprayed in red paint clearly visible even as they pull around the back of it and jump out. "Where are we?" Rick asks, looking around the wooded area and then toward the door that Steven is already walking toward. Melody hesitates next to the truck as Rick and Daryl clamber out the back.

"At the half way point and I should warn you once inside, the conversation in the jeep never happened. You don't know me. I don't know you. It's safer for all of us that way."  
Daryl gives her a hard stare, trying to gauge exactly why she would say that when Rick is the one that asks. "And why is that?"

Beth sighs, almost rolling her eyes like it should be obvious. "Because Negan has his men everywhere. Even among our ranks." She gives a half shrug and a grim smile as she follows Steven toward the door. Leaving Rick and Daryl to stare at each other in confusion before following along. Looking to make since of it all, and only stopping when the snarling could be heard from the door that Steven is already standing at, waiting for them.

"We're actually going in there?" Daryl asks, taking a step back as Melody smirks and moves for the door. Daryl reaches his side, looking for a weapon only to remember he'd been stripped of his weapons the night before as they hauled them into a van. There's nothing he can do as the snarling grows louder and Melody pulls on the door, using every bit of strength she has to swing it open. His stomach twists and his mind rebels at the idea of her being in danger, even if he is pissed at her. Judging by the curl of Rick's lips, he hates it just as much. Is just as ready to jump in and stop her when the door gives away. Swinging open to reveal red headed woman on the other side with a pistol aimed and ready at their heads.

She lowers it when she see's who it is. A scowl forming on her face as she takes a step back."Could'a given me a heads up, Mels. Could'a shot ya dead," the woman says as she lowers the rifle and steps back. The snarls are louder on the inside, echoing off the ceiling though the source seems to be from what speakers are placed around the room. Mounted on cement walls that carry the sound far past the small space that looks to be a some kind of guard room. With a table in the middle littered in canned food and water bottles. A handful of beat up lockers in the back with hooks hanging to the side of them that are carrying more jackets and bags. Shelving to the left of them holds their stash of food with gallon jugs of water lying on the floor, underneath a row of benches that have been turned into make shift pallets. A door in the back is locked and jammed. Locking them into the room with the walker snarls that seem to be on repeat until the woman walks over to turn the radio off.

Melody is smiling as she walks in. "Sorry, Bri, thought the old man told you where we were headin."

Bri shakes her head. "The old man don't tell me shit."

Steven is the last enter the room and he quickly shoves past them to wrap the redheaded woman, Bri, in a warm in embrace, mumbling "Good to see you, babe." The smile spreading across her face shows it's welcome as she returns it. Making this brace more intimate and familiar, and Daryl swallows as he looks away. His gaze landing on Melody, and wishing he'd been able to have that type of reunion with her. Even a moment to hold her close before the craziness of this world forced her away from him time and time again.

She looks up, blue meeting blue and a sad smile spreads across her face. Almost making him believe that she's wishing the same thing before she pulls her gaze away and motions towards the back of the room.

"Got to head into the city, Brianna," she says, looking toward the woman again as Steven releases her. "Gotta get these two back to their families."

Brianna's eyes go wide as she focuses on Rick and Daryl. Recognition forming even as Daryl is sure that she's never seen them before in her life ."You're the boy's father. Thank god, he'll be so relieved."

"Carl's okay?" Rick asks, taking a step toward the woman as he looks back at Daryl. The woman nods, a smile on her face that brightens up her features and relieves the both of them.

"Sure is. That's one hellava a kid you've got there. Was bound and determined to go and hunt you down himself til Melody piped up that she might have an idea where you were, and wouldn't quite hounding her til she proved it."

"Yeah, he's something alright. " The grin on Melody's face is one of pride as she glances at Rick. A brief sharing of something past before she motions for a set of lockers in the back. Opening one up, it's as Daryl assumed. They're filled with weapons, various knives and swords flash in the pale light. Melody holds up a couple of hunting knives, handing them over to Daryl and then Rick before handing over the sheaths to go with it. They take the weapons wordlessly. Rick raises an eyebrow at Daryl as Melody moves further along the row, skipping over several lockers until she reaches the end and opens that one up. Inside is a set of arrows, and next to the locker hangs a compound bow that Melody stares at for a second too long before looking back at Daryl and eyeing him up and down. Like she's trying to measure him up.

"You know I'm good with that thing," he says, trying to tip the scales in his favor. May not be his bow, but it'd be nice to head out into the unknown with a familiar weapon. One that he can easily figure out if given the chance.

Melody glances back at the two by the entrance before nodding. "I know, but.." she gives a heavy sigh and hollers. "Bri, what's the sewers lookin like?"

"Gerald had to take another team down there, they should be cleared now but I would load up just in case." Brianna shrugs, an apologetic expression on her face and Melody turns to the compound bow. Nearly tossing it at Daryl before motioning to the locker filled with arrows.

"Take your pick."

As Daryl goes over their arrow supplies, Melody moves onto the bags and another locker. This time loading up on glow sticks and what looks to be black glow lights before heading over to the food and packing a few MRI's and bottles of water. "Sewers?" Ricks asks, coming to stand closer to her. Daryl looks up a the question, his own curiosity getting the better of him as he tries to look busy loading his new bow.

"We use the sewers to get into the city, and into our safe house there," she explains, waving toward the lockers. "It's why we're not grabbing any guns. For now." Daryl looks up to see the grin on her face, as she glances at him. Their eyes meeting for a second before looking back at the bow. Resting on the floor to test the weight of the draw back as she focuses again on Rick.

"You gonna explain why we can't grab the guns right now."

Beth shakes her head, handing the last MRI over to the man as she asks, "how well do you breath underwater, Rick?"

* * *

 **Okay here's another short chapter. Keeping them short for now anyways. If any of you have played that game Last Of US. I am kind of drawing inspiration off of that as to where their going and taking free reign with the story. Hope you don't mind. Anyways. Hope you enjoyed and thanks for all the feed back on the first chapter. Really didn't expect that much, but glad it was enjoyed and thanks again.**


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